A NARROW ESCAPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12601, 3 March 1903, Page 6

A NARROW ESCAPE.

(Fbojc Ouk Own Coimnsrm-DEXT.) WELLINGTON, Man* 2. A narrow escape from a very 6orious railway accident, which, by the way, lias been kept very quiet, occurred at the Te Aro railway station, Wellington', recently. Tho Post to-night gives t!io following particulars:—An excursion train filled with school children, bound for a picnic, was standing at the platform, when a train from the Hutt came along. For some reason the points bad not been shifted so as to switch the incoming train on to another line, and the semaphore, which had stood at "Danger," was turned so as to indicate, that tho lino was clear, There were thus all the materials for a railway catastrophe on a large scale. Luckily,' howevei, the driver of tho incoming train was observing the regulation which requires drivers to enter a terminal station at a slow rate of speed, and as he was also keeping a sharp look-out, he noticed that another train was in tho way, and at once stopped his train, which, by the application of the Westinghouso brake, he was enabled to do about 50 feet from the excursion train. An inquiry into the affair was held by two officials in the traffic departmont, and the matter is now under consideration of the Aetin? Minister of Railways (the Hon. 0. H. Mills). In the meantime, ono of the officials alleged to be conoerned in the affair has been suspended.